


wearing a warning sign

by annoyingeuropeanfemale



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Background Relationships, Character Study, Dalish Elves, Drabble, Gen, I love Wynne, Leliana - Freeform, Morrigan - Freeform, Oghren - Freeform, Shale (Dragon Age) - Freeform, Sten - Freeform, Warden Alistair, Wynne POV, Wynne's thoughts on my warden, Zevran Arainai - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-21 05:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17636402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annoyingeuropeanfemale/pseuds/annoyingeuropeanfemale
Summary: Wild elves, the humans called the Dalish, with the same tone of voice like someone saying wolves or great bears. Wild elves, and she’s heard enough stories to know humans were afraid to even speak of them when they were nearing a forest, any forest, for fear of summoning them and bringing the wrath of the People down on them.Wynne wasn’t sure about the wild part.





	wearing a warning sign

**Author's Note:**

> A quick drabble of how I think Wynne sees my Dalish warden in what I consider to be my canon playthrough. Also I really really like Wynne and her witty one-liners.  
> Also I was listening to Billie Eilish's "you should see me in a crown" when I was editing this so the title is from there.

_Wild elves_ , the humans called the Dalish, with the same tone of voice like someone saying _wolves_ or _great bears_. Wild elves, and she’s heard enough stories to know humans were afraid to even speak of them when they were nearing a forest, any forest, for fear of summoning them and bringing the wrath of the People down on them.

Wynne wasn’t sure about the wild part. Elf, sure. Mahariel never bothered to hide her heritage or mince the elvish coming out of her mouth at the most peculiar of times, never hid her face markings and always reminded anyone who spoke to her of religion of the fact that she was Dalish.

Wynne remembers when Leliana asked Mahariel about her beliefs. The elf shrugged and said _I don’t much care for your religion, as everyone is entitled to their own beliefs._ A wise stating, Wynne thought, but Mahariel continued with _What bothers me is the assumption of some humans that they can somehow convince me to renounce my gods in favor of their Maker_ , and _ah_ , Wynne thought, there was the catch. Leliana was quick to explain that she was just curious, and she didn’t mean offense, but Mahariel just laughed, a raw, scratchy sound, and asked _Would you like to hear about my gods for a change?_

_Wild elves_ , the humans called the Dalish, but Wynne was never easily convinced of something unless she saw it with her own eyes. She joined them around the fire that night, their other companions slowly gravitating towards them as well, towards Mahariel’s voice explaining her face markings and her stories of a people bended but not broken.

Wynne had the pleasure of traveling enough with the future Hero of Ferelden to get to know the woman properly, and she was exceptional in battle and even more so at bending people to her will.

Wise elf, pretty elf, clever elf, angry elf. Convincing, intimidating. Voice as sweet as honey, voice like a thunderstorm.

Wynne always liked seeing her use this particular brand of magic so effortlessly.

_Why do you find it so easy to make people do you bidding, do you think?_ Wynne asks her once, and Mahariel looks up at her, blinks a few times and then lets out a chuckle. The mage saw with the corner of her eye how fast Alistair’s head turned at the sound, but the elf took no notice of it.

_Wynne_ , Mahariel said, _I’m an elf, a Dalish no less, and a woman. And barely over five feet tall. Whatever comes out of my mouth is never what others expect and that is always their undoing. Not me talking, mind you, but their assumptions that they know anything about me just by glancing in my direction. I think half of them never even expect me to talk._

Wynne smiles at her and thanks her for indulging an old woman. Mahariel smiles in kind, says _the older you get the wiser you are_ , and leaves to tend to her dog.

_Clever elf_ , Wynne thinks when she sees how Mahariel questions every dwarf in Orzammar she can get to talk to her about their politics. _Angry elf_ , when Mahariel learns how the arlessa handled her own son, and leaves for the Circle to save a child. _Respectful elf_ , when Mahariel lets Leliana and Alistair and herself be the ones handling the Urn of Sacred Ashes. _Kind elf_ , every time she talks to someone in need of assistance.

Wynne only thinks _wild elf_ when she sees Mahariel in the Brecilian Forest, and it’s almost a shock to her system to see the woman who has been their leader so at home. She’s donned Dalish armor, and forgone boots, and the deep green of her markings make her almost look part of the forest herself, a spirit guiding them safely through the treacherous living trees and wild beasts roaming the land.

Wynne thinks _wild elf_ , and then thinks about Mahariel’s laugh every time she and Alistair find themselves near each other, thinks about her scrunched up face when she tries so hard to understand things from Sten’s point of view, thinks about the mischievous smirk she always has on her face when talking with Morrigan, thinks about her always bothering Leliana for more stories, thinks about her trying her best to teach Zevran elvish, thinks about how every time she hunts birds for supper she shows them to Shale first, thinks about her talking with Oghren about the most ridiculous things humans do and how confusing they are.

Wynne thinks about how Mahariel insists on calling her _hahren_ every time Wynne even alludes about her age, and then thinks about the one time when Mahariel told her, quietly, _You make a very good Keeper of this clan, Wynne._

Wynne thinks about a son long gone, and then thinks the Maker has a very funny way of giving them back the things they lose.


End file.
